Cross-chain repair link



Febfzl, 192s.' 1,659,981 P, MCLOUGHLIN v @ROSS GEXAIN REPAIR LINK Filed sep. 2o. 192e Patented Feb. 21, 192.8.

Unirse STATES PATRICK MCLOUGHLIN, or WORCESTER,v MAssiicrrusn'r'rs.V

CROSS-CHAIN narnia LINK.

.application filed 'Septembergd 1326. SerialNo. 135,439.

Thisinvention relates tov av repair link for anti-skid chains.

Theprinci al ob'ect' or" the invention is.

to provide a repair link of inexpensive and simple character which can be placed on a cross chain in open position and will be pressed into locking' condition Vby the running ofthe Wheel over it. Y

The invention also involves the making of this repair link out of sheet stock in a very inexpensive manner and thus presenting flat surfaces to the tire and` the locking of the link in such'a Way that the end of the link, which is bent inwardly in closing, cannot pass through the loop of the link and thus possibly abrade the tire as it is run continuously in practice. The invention also in-` volves details of construction of the link. Y

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cross chain showing a repair link of preferred construction applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side view of thesarne; v

Fig. 3 is a side View of the chain applied to the wheel illustrating the way in which the link is closed;

Fig. 4; is aside View of the repair link by itself in open position;

Fig. 5 is a plan of a modified form of repair link embodying most of vthe features shown in the first four igures; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of another form of this invention.

in the form of the unknown in the first four figures, it is, ofcourse, intended to be used with a cross chain 10, mounted on a tire 11 in the usual "Way. When the cross chain is broken, a repair link 12 constructed in accordance withthis ployed.

This link has a hook 13 at one end, th extremity of the hook being formed in a line parallel with the main body of the link throughout the length of the hook. This furnishes a space into which the next link of the chain 10 can be inserted conveniently.

The main body of the link extends along straight opposite the hook ..13 and these parts are located in a. plane. The whole device is formed of sheet steel or other stock `cut out into shape and of a single piece of metal. The end of the body portion is bent upwardly at let and back to form a tongue 15 in a plane spaced from, .and parallel with, the plane of the body of the link and the invention is em-` hook vend 13. l In this form of the invention thelend of this tonguel is cutout originally in a slanting position so that the. end of it projects to a point above the hook .end 13.`

The purpose of this Will appear later but it will be seen that the tongue l'extends across vthe link from one side to the other in a slanting direction. 5 In the use of the link, one link of the chainl 10 is introduced into the hook end 13 as shown in.-F ig. 1 and the opposite linkof the chain 10 is strung'under the tongue 15 as also shown. lAs the repair link is formed of sheet steel preferably'and is not easily bent by ordinary tools which automobile users have at hand it will remain in that condition. Y

It will be noticed that the tongue 15 is out atthe dotted line position in Fig. 3. Now when the wheel is rolled around once on the ground, the pressure fromthe weight of the car on .the link will forceit back from the l dotted line to the full line position in Fig. 3.

It will be obvious that the end of the tongue 15 will come into contact with the hook end 13 and form in that Way a positive closure of the repair link. .This prevents the chain link on that end from becoming de-v proximity with, the hook 13, as that posi-- tively closes the link against the detachment of both of nthe chain'links to which it is connected. Furthermorethe end of the tongue 15 which is cut off rather square to save expense cannot get down into the space be tween the hook end 13 and the body of the link 12 and thus possibly project through into contact with the tire. On the contrary, the surface of the repair link which engages the tire is perfectly flat and it engages it in two areas at opposite sides of the repair link, one of them being obviously the back of the hook end 13. Thus this repair link subjects the tire to less wear than the ordinary links of the chain.

This constitutes a very simple device for this purpose. It does not require any manual operation to close it. Itis so. constructed that'the links 12 will set in position while the wheel is being Arolled along the ground. yThis is due largely to the Vfact that the tongue 15 extends across the link as -stated*- above, and as will be obvious, it contains no ends that can stick 4into Ythe surface ot the tire and cause a weakening of the fabric or rubber. lt is veryinexpensive to make and there is no diiiicultywhatever about putting it in place.

. In the torni shown in Fig. 5, the repair link is made of the same material and the hook end 13 ofthe link .12 is the same as above described. lIn this case vtheend 17, which looks the chain' sections in position, instead oit extending across the linkdiagonally, bends suddenly in a transverse direction and extends'transversely at that point for thesame purposes as in the irst four' figures. .Here it presents a surfaceflS-which -is exactly transverse to the length r-ot the chain. yThis surface more positively prevents the disengagement ot .the chain link .on the right hand side and furnishes a flat `wall `against whichnoipressure can be trans- `mit-ted to bend the link out ot shape to such an extent,` as to allow thereleaseof the chain links.

ln the form shown in Fig. 6 I providea further lock of thisnature ,in the form o anend 2O having a slot 21 for receiving the left hand link and holding it atboth sides against displacement. All these .links are made or' fiat or sheet stock, cut out rapidly by dies and bent into shape with equal rapidity by' machine methods. Theretorezthey are very inexpensive .to manufacture, .require no' iinishing Vand come. out of the .cutting and bending dies exactlythe same shape.

Although I have illustrated.anddescribed only three forms of lthe invention, I am aware of the fact that otherl modifications can be made therein byv any .person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention as expressed. in theclaims.

Therefore Vl Vdo notvvish to be limited in these respects, but what l do claim is:

1` As an article of manufacture, a-repair link for the cross chains .of 'vehicle tires consisting of a piece of flat sheetv metal cut out in'atorm in which the bottom of the link is provided with a hook end parallel with 5 the bodyandspaced .therefrom for receiving.k a link of a cross chain at one end, the other endv of the Ylink comprising a tongue bent up into a plane parallel with thel plane of nthebody of the link and extendingfacross the link to overlap the hook end land the space betweenthe hook end and said body, both in open and closed position, wherebyV twochainlinkscan beattachedgto the repair link on a tire and ythe repair .link will be closedto lock them both against displace-v ment in separate non-communicating loopsby the rolling of the wheel along' the ground.

2. As an article of manufacture, za repair` link for 'the purposek described, having a straight body portion, hook end-at one passing throughY the ,link and engagingthev tire. Y 3. .As '.anarticle otmanufacture, arepair link having a body portion anda `hookfend at one end in-.one horizontal plane and havingza vtongue at the Vother Afend normally? spaced materially above the plane of the hook andbent, when closed down, into vengagement with the 'hook Vend ,and body portion and extending :across the link transversely from the body portion to the Yhook end .uso as fito close `automatically by lthe weight of the car whentheoar ,runs overit and tormtwo separate loops. Y n

fl. 4As an article @of manufacture, sa, repair link comprising apiece :of sheet metal having :a body f portion and a parallel :hook ,end and a tongue at the other end bent into en-` gagement f with the hook end Y and having two ends bent down .substantially into ,contact with the hook yend and thefbody KVorthe linky respectively and providing a ,1 recess :between them ftor the reception l ,of the chain link.-l

n testimony whereofl havehereunto 1 axed my signature. p

PATRICK :MOLOUGHLIN 'end parallel therewith, the body .portion Y 

